Natural hazards · Little River

Little River, SC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Little River comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 94 claims here since 1989. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Little River?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Little River to be higher than in 93% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes.

Hurricanes72%Inland flooding13%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Little River faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Hurricanes

72% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Inland flooding

13% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 27% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Little River flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Little River, from FEMA’s records.

94paid claims since 1989

$2.0Mpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19892026

Biggest named events

October severe storms: 34 claims, $742K
Hurricane Matthew: 14 claims, $295K
Hurricane Floyd: 11 claims, $264K

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Little River isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Horry County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

4homes raised above flood level

2buildings retrofitted against wind

Disasters that hit Little River

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Little River itself: aid to households, or repair grants to Little River.

Brought FEMA money into Little RiverDeclared for Horry County only

2022

Hurricane Ian

73 households applied for aid $56K aid approved

2018

Hurricane Florence

242 households applied for aid $104K aid approved

2016

Hurricane Matthew

209 households applied for aid $80K aid approved

2015

Severe Storms and Flooding

497 households applied for aid $696K aid approved

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

54 households applied for aid $57K aid approved

Horry County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and fires.

Around Little River

Little River and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Little Rivermostly hurricanesVery high

North Myrtle Beachmostly hurricanesVery high

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Little River covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Little River’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Little River. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Little River total about $10.7M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.